The present application is based on Japanese Priority Document JP2002-275881 filed on Sep. 20, 2002, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cutter device provided in a printer for printing images, such as, e.g., characters, figures, onto a continuous paper. Particularly, the invention is concerned with a cutter device for cutting continuous paper into an appropriate length.
2. Discussion of the Background
Heretofore, various cutter devices have been known for cutting continuous paper into an appropriate length. Printers and facsimile devices using such cutter devices are in many cases provided with a cutter section on a downstream side of a printing section in a paper conveying direction.
A conventional cutter device is shown in FIG. 9. A rotary type cutter device 100 is provided with a fixed blade 101 which is supported in a fixed state and a movable blade 103 which is rotatable about a support shaft 102. Fixed blade 101 and movable blade 103 each have a plate-like shape and are arranged in a non-parallel state while allowing respective edges 101a and 103a to mesh partially with each other.
In the cutter device 100, a motor (not shown) and support shaft 102 are connected with each other through a gear train (not shown) or the like and a driving force of the motor is transmitted to the support shaft 102 through a gear train or the like, whereby movable blade 101 is rotated. Such drive components including the motor and the gear train are mounted to a frame 104 which supports fixed blade 101 and movable blade 103. Movable blade 103 is rotated by the motor through the gear train, causing the meshing position of edges 101a and 103a to move in one direction, thereby cutting continuous paper which has been fed to between fixed blade 101 and movable blade 103, like scissors.
However, in cutter device 100 of such a construction, when movable blade 103 having expired its service life is to be replaced with a fresh one, it is required to disassemble the frame 104 and drive components, or else it will be impossible to detach the movable blade 103. Thus, blade replacing work is troublesome.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to attach or detach a movable blade without requiring any complicated work.
The object of the present invention is achieved by a novel cutter according to the present invention.
The novel cutter device of the present invention is provided with a fixed blade which is supported at a predetermined position and a movable blade opposed to the fixed blade, the movable blade being displaced so that its position of engagement with the fixed blade shifts continuously, the movable blade capable of being attached and detached.